Editorials

PSP Editor Commentary - Phil Theobald

I have to admit that although I fully understood just how powerful the PSP is, I couldn't get all that excited about it. The lineup of launch games just didn't appeal to me. Sure, I can understand why people would be all about Ridge Racer and WipEout Pure -- they're great games. They're also series that I got bored with on PS1 (cue hate mail).

Even though the launch lineup left me somewhat unimpressed, there was no denying that the system itself was incredible. One look at that screen, and I knew that I had to have one. I preordered the system along with two games: Lumines and Darkstalkers Chronicle. I had to get Darkstalkers because I'm a sucker for Capcom's 2D fighting games, and a few extended gameplay sessions with the import Lumines convinced me of its sheer awesomeness. Gameplay-wise, I don't think that it holds a candle to puzzle games like Tetris Attack and Super Puzzle Fighter, but Lumines is more about the A/V experience than it is about lining up blocks.

And just to prove what a nerd I am, the game that I'm most looking forward to on PSP isn't Grand Theft Auto or Gran Turismo or any other game that begins with Gran. No, it's good old Namco Museum. I just started playing the import version, and this might sound weird, but Pac-Man looks amazing on the PSP. I'm not even talking about the arranged version -- I mean the original, circa 1980 Pac-Man. You'll have to see it on the PSP's super-crisp screen to appreciate what I'm talking about.

The anime lover in me has also forced me to preorder an import slot-machine sim based on characters from Lupin the 3rd. (Hey, I already own Dreamcast and PS2 Lupin slot-machine sims, so one more couldn't hurt!) At least I'll own a PSP game that not many other Americans will have. I'm 1337!!!1

Retro collections and obscure Japanese titles aside, I'm really just looking forward to what happens with the PSP in the future. After all, the PS2 launched with no games that I wanted to play, and now I own a ton of software for it. PSP will undoubtedly be the same way. It's just too sweet of a machine to not acquire a huge library of fantastic games.